Abstract
The adoption of new and high yielding pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) varieties can be boosted if they correspond to farmers’ preferences and answer the constraints prevailing in the production environments. Therefore, the focus of this study was to assess production constraints, farmers’ preferences and choices of varieties among pearl millet cultivating farmers using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) in the guinea savanna agro-ecological zone of Ghana where the crop is grown. Data collection was through mixed methods of focus group discussion (FGD) and individual interviews with 295 (45 for FGD and 250 for individual interviews) farmers covering 45 communities. Results indicated that the major constraints of production included low yields, bird damage, poor soils, erratic rainfall, downy mildew disease, head insects, and early maturity. Majority of pearl millet farmers depend on own seed source due to lack of access to and low knowledge of improved seeds. Breeding for high grain yield, earliness, resistance to downy mildew disease and bird attack varieties were the leading traits of preference that research should focus on. It is therefore anticipated that breeding program would integrate the product profiling proposed in this work for enhance adoption of new pearl millet varieties in Ghana. Key words: Participatory rural appraisal, constraint, pearl millet Guinea savanna, Ghana.
Highlights
The Upper East region is noted for the cultivation of the early maturing type of pearl millet (Asungre et al, 2015; Kanton et al, 2015), which matures within 65-70 days from sowing, making it gain the accolade as the ‘poor man’s crop’ or ‘hunger breaker’
The current study revealed that pearl millet is an important part of the daily meals of majority of people of northern Ghana where it is eaten at least once every week
The cultivation of pearl millet in northern Ghana continues to serve as a stop-gap and source of food security measure against hunger of many subsistence farmers, as it is often harvested during periods of food shortage in many households in the area
Summary
The Upper East region is noted for the cultivation of the early maturing type of pearl millet (Asungre et al, 2015; Kanton et al, 2015), which matures within 65-70 days from sowing, making it gain the accolade as the ‘poor man’s crop’ or ‘hunger breaker’. This is because it is often the first cereal crop to be harvested during the main season, serving as a food security crop during mid-July to late August each year. Apart from its main use as a food crop for traditional dishes such as Tuo-Zafi, Maasa, and porridges for the people in Ghana, the stalks are used variously as fodder, roofing, fencing material or source of saltpetre for cooking traditional food
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